“Peace is joy at rest. Joy is peace on its feet.”

“Joy is the best makeup.”

“Gratitude, not understanding, is the secret to joy and equanimity.”

“Without using the word, everyone started forgiving each other again. Just like that, from the no of all nothingness: you have a big tense mess and out of it comes some joy. It must be magic.”

“Writers show us the glades we'd missed, the trickling voices of streams, the eyes of a barn owl watching us. A writer like my father revealed a shape and movement amid it all, layers, meaning, perspective, joy, because he paid such careful attention, and paying attention is about the biggest redemption there is.”

“I'm all over the place, up and down, scattered, withdrawing, trying to find some elusive sense of serenity."The world can't give that serenity. The world can't give us peace. We can only find it in our hearts."I hate that."I know. But the good news is that by the same token, the world can't take it away.”

“I think joy and sweetness and affection are a spiritual path. We're here to know God, to love and serve God, and to be blown away by the beauty and miracle of nature. You just have to get rid of so much baggage to be light enough to dance, to sing, to play. You don't have time to carry grudges; you don't have time to cling to the need to be right.”